KARACHI, July 24: Karachiites love eating out. Given the limited amount of recreational activities available in the city, not to mention the unending volatile sociopolitical situation, there’s no harm in visiting a restaurant to satiate your appetite and enjoy a cosy ambience. And the holy month of Ramazan is no exception.

Every year restaurants and eateries, both the ritzy ones and those that exist in middleclass markets, offer special Iftar deals. It seems that this year more people are thronging to restaurants than before. This can be gauged by the fact that most of these eating places have almost 90 per cent of their tables booked at least 12 hours before Iftar. They are usually the ones that offer buffet deals. But, rest assured, those that have come up with the single or double platter schemes don’t get any significantly fewer number of food lovers.

Hasan Qureshi, the chap you’ll find attending the calls at a famous food chain that specializes in chicken, says: “Every Iftar we receive a reasonable number of people. Very seldom does it happen that we have empty seats. We have platters for four and six persons. The former usually comprises family platter with four regular sidelines of the customers’ choice, and it costs them a little less than Rs3,000 excluding tax.”

Some of the upscale restaurants have taken the buffet route. They are heavier on the pocket but offer a large variety of food items. Ms Sumayya, who works at a known eatery in Zamzama, says: “We have Iftar-and-dinner buffet. We charge Rs1,145 plus tax per person and our menu includes hot and sour soup, peppercorn steak, oyster sauce beef, mushroom chicken, kung pao chicken, fried fish, vegetable chow mein, chicken mushroom lasagna and rice. For dessert we have chocolate malt cake, cheese cake, bread pudding, egg pudding and mixed jelly.

“We have a 96-seat capacity and customers have their reservations done hours before Iftar. It’s a full house every day,” she says.

There is little evidence to doubt that. After 7pm there would hardly be any (known) restaurant in the city that doesn’t play host to food lovers, a majority of which comprise those who fast. Yes, there are some who relish Iftar even when they’re not fasting.

As far as Chinese food connoisseurs are concerned, there is not much to munch on during Iftar. But no need to despair: there is more than usual at dinner time. Go to any Chinese eatery and you’ll nod in the affirmative.

A famous eating place, a portion of which works as an art gallery, has also tweaked their menu for the season a bit, and it’s paying off. Their staff member, Mr Asif, says: “We have a Ramazan platter for two persons. It costs Rs1,825 plus tax. The items on the list include chicken wonton, tempura, paneer soya roll, fruit salad, chicken and cheese stuffed chili and two shikanjabeen drinks. Usually people call us to reserve their tables, but we don’t mind customers walking in without a prior booking.”

And then there is this booming food-court culture at malls that the foodies in recent times have taken a shine to. A mall in the Sea View area is attracting a great many visitors these days. Its food court, especially on Sundays and despite having a spacious sitting area with more than a hundred tables, cuts a claustrophobic picture. Long queues outside the food outlets can be seen till it’s time to break fast. The number of visitors is increasing by the day so much so that people are sometimes seen frantically looking for vacant chairs.

For those who don’t have deep pockets, Burnes Road is to date the best bet. The fruit chaat and aalu chana at Iftar and the biryani and nihari afterwards still rock their food world. Come to think of it, Burnes Road isn’t that cheap an option anymore.